Wow! This was a dark and intense read and I loved every page! The story is told by an unreliable narrator about a new mother battling her demons. The characters were well done and the story was intriguing. I would have liked to have been more surprised throughout the book but overall it was a good read. Looking forward to more from this author in the future.

I'll be honest... I didn't L-O-V-E this book, but I didn't hate it either. It just sort of fell in the middle -- an easy read for a long flight. While it held my attention in the beginning, towards the 50% mark I just wanted to whiz through the pages and complete the book. As a mom myself, I can understand the complexity of being new to motherhood, and how challenging it can feel. What was lost on me was the why behind a lot of the characters' actions. Why was her husband such a tool? Why did her mother despise her, but not her two older sisters? The ending felt rushed a bit, like a deadline needed to be met so as the reader, it wasn't quite as buttoned up as I had hoped. With all that said, I still enjoyed what it was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Collective for providing an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this however it fell slightly flat. I’m not a huge fan of the unreliable narrator trope and this was definitely that.

One thing this author did really well is showing how lonely, isolating and all consuming motherhood can be, especially in the early days. You were really rooting for her to figure this out and come out the other side.

I was intrigued where the story was going to go however I did find the ending slightly rushed!

Overall I did enjoy this domesticated thriller & it was a solid debut! I’d definitely read something from Brianne Sommerville again

Let me start with this book was dark! However, Sommerville handled the topics within with absolute care, and it didn't feel exploitative or triggering just for trigger's sake.

I feel like the description for this book gave a bit of the story away in that I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and it didn't veer much from those expectations, but the moments that did were so shocking and gut-punching they took my breath away. I so look forward to reading more from this author, her voice is a necessary one in this genre!

Thank you to Rising Action Publishing Co. and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.


Do you enjoy being gas lit by fictional characters? Do you enjoy constant suspense and jumping around trying to figure out what exactly is going on? How about book hangovers - do you enjoy those? If I Lose Her by Brianne Sommerville is the perfect book to tick all of those boxes.

Go into this book blind, trust me.

Thrilling rollercoaster ride-one could say parenthood usually is. This book hooks right right at the beginning!

Thank you for the ARC for my honest review

Jo is a tired and overwhelmed new mom that has been diagnosed with post partum depression. She's been experiencing black outs, and doesn't remember events she's been accused of. Is her baby safe with her? Are things truly as they seem?

This was such a thought-proving and gripping thriller! As a mom, this book truly resonated with me in so many ways. I found myself question everyone and everything. I had no clue who or what to believe. I love an unreliable narrator, and this story definitely delivered! I found myself truly sympathizing with the main character. I was immersed in the author's ability to weave a story that was emotional and thrilling all at the same time. This was one of those books where I wanted to skip ahead and find out what was going to happen next. This story was such a roller coaster of emotions. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the author showed me that I knew NOTHING!

Such a job well done. For this to be a debut novel, I am extremely impressed. Brianne Sommerville is now an auto-buy author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story gripped you from the very beginning. New mom Jo is STRUGGLING with lapse in her memory, sleep deprivation and now someone has called child protective services on her. Is she losing her mind or is someone messing with her?


I really enjoyed If I Lose Her by Brianne Somerville but I feel like it ended very abruptly. I wanted a bit of more closure to the story. Some questions were left unanswered.

Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co.

This was quite a twisty thriller! I enjoyed the writing style, and it definitely kept my attention. I will be looking forward to reading more by Brianne Sommerville.

This was a standout domestic suspense debut for me! I love a good early motherhood, mental health thriller and this one had the reader wondering if the mother was going crazy or being gaslighted by her husband, the neighbor or possibly her MIL. Twisty and at times dark, this was great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Ashley Audrain. I can't wait to read more by this new Canadian author! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Ugh the level of second hand anxiety I experienced reading this one! It kept me turning pages but also bracing myself for what comes next. Brianne Sommerville crushed it by taking complexities of early days of motherhood combing it with family dysfunction and turned it into a nail biting good debut. I honestly couldn’t believe this is her first novel!

Jo is a sleep deprived, stressed out first time mother who finds herself under scrutiny of Child Protective Services while living in fear that she will turn into her own mother. Her closest relationship are her two sisters whose childhood experience was very different to her own. Add to that mix a selfish, douchey partner and is it any wonder Jo is questioning her own sanity?

I might not be a mom myself but it doesn’t take a genius to understand how stressful it is becoming a parent. And the ludicrous expectations that come with motherhood! All the not so perfect stuff not being talked about and glossed over. I take my hat off to all the moms I know for juggling hormones, sleep deprivation, unrealistic expectations and still doing it with so much love!

This was a slow burn, domestic suspense with dual timelines and lots of anxiety inducing moments. In the best way possible. Brianne did a fantastic job taking us into the mind of someone who keeps fighting for her daughter while simultaneously questioning her own sanity! The last part of the book and the ending had me forgetting to breathe.

I am so grateful to @thrillerbookloverspromotions for bringing such fantastic reads into my hands! And a huge thank you to the author, Rising Action Publishing Collective & NetGalley for my ARC!

Addy is almost five months old and the joy of Jo’s life, but when CPS is called in, Jo is at a loss. Did she really leave her baby outside while she, herself, was napping? She distinctly remembers putting her in her basinet. When other distressing things start to happen she doesn’t know who to trust, especially when she can’t even trust herself! Diagnosed with postpartum depression, she’s doing everything possible to be the best mom she can be, but is Addy safe in her care? This book had all the elements needed to be a gripping story and grip it did!! With a troubling backstory, some great twists and an unreliable narrator, this was a very fast read!! Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you Netgalley, Brianne Summerville, and Rising Action Publishing Inc for ebook. I really enjoyed this book and all the ups and downs that came with it. I just had a baby too so the depression and postpartum time just resonated. I couldn't believe the twists and turns!!

If I Lose Her is the debut novel of Canadian author Brianne Sommerville. It is a domestic thriller with twists and tension that also explores important themes of new motherhood - the exhausting demands, the absolute joy, and the impact of post-partem depression.

The story is told in alternating timelines. In the present Jo is a new mom and loves her adorable four-month-old daughter but is finding motherhood challenging and often overwhelming. Her stress compounds when an anonymous caller makes a complaint to Children's Aid saying they saw Jo's daughter left outside alone in the heat of summer. Did Jo leave her outside? Are other instances Jo's fault? Readers will question whether Jo's mental state is to blame or if there's something else going on.

The second timeline takes readers into Jo's childhood with her two sisters and their abusive mother. The verbal abuse against Jo was tough to read but gives readers a clear understanding of how those early relationships have impacted Jo's life and her view of motherhood.

While slow to start, the secrets, lies and building tension will pull readers in and the short chapters will keep them reading 'just one more chapter'. I guessed the big twist early on, but Sommerville's red herrings made me question my initial assumption and I found the ending to be satisfying.

Twisted, dark and tense, this was an impressive debut that also brings to light the struggles some women face post-partem and will encourage great book club discussion. I eagerly look forward to reading more from Brianne Sommerville in the future!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Rising Action Publishing for the complimentary digital advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

Author Event: I had the pleasure of attending Brianne's book launch in Toronto last night. It is also such a joy to see this new author being supported by fellow authors, readers, and the book community. The cute cookies decorated like her book (pictured in my review) were the icing on the proverbial cake, er ... cookie.

📚: If I Lose Her by Brianne Sommerville (@briannesomm)
⭐️: 4/5

Being a new mom isn’t easy - and Joanna is feeling it hard. With memory blackouts, a call to child protective services, and a quick-to-judge postpartum depression diagnosis, Joanna feels like she’s losing her mind and the trust of those around her. Most importantly, she worries that she’s somehow becoming her own mother.

With a dual timeline that is 👏🏽so brilliantly done👏🏽 (via standalone short story-like chapters from the past), unreliable narration, and a few moments that are so dark that my jaw dropped, this read was quick and captivating.

Minus one star for a bit of predictability (yes, I saw the twist coming fairly early on), but I can’t stress enough how strong of a debut this is for this author.

Big thanks to @risingactionpublishingco via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. If I Lose Her is out today, 3/5.

Following the birth of her daughter Addison, Joanna begins experiencing unexplainable lapses in her memory which threaten her daughter’s safety and her ability to be a parent after a tip is made to Child Services.

Desperate to prove herself not only to Child Services but also her concerned husband, sisters and in-laws, Joanna examines everyone and everything in her life to try and make sense of how things have become so out of control. Is she suffering from postpartum depression? Is she just exhausted from having a newborn? Or is someone playing tricks on her?

The book alternates between flashbacks of Joanna’s abusive childhood at the hands of a neglectful, emotionally unstable mother and present day where she attempts to discern whether she is going crazy or if something much more sinister is underway.

This novel dives into new parenthood and the toll that trying to be the “perfect mother” can have on women. I couldn’t believe that this was the author’s first book - it was quite well written and kept me guessing about what was happening. I enjoyed the first person narration, especially because each time I thought I had someone nailed down, Jo would question herself and I would follow suit in doubting the characters all over again. This was a fast read and I was invested until the very end.

I look forward to following Brianne Sommerville’s future works and highly recommend picking up a copy of If I Lose Her if you love a good psychological thriller.

Thanks to Brianne Sommerville, NetGalley, and Rising Action Publishing for this digital ARC. All opinions and this review are my own.

If I Lose Her is about a new mother struggling with motherhood. She's suffering from post partum depression combined with memory loss.

It is a compelling, fast paced psychological thriller that kept me entertained from the first page to the last.

A very impressive debut, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

What an incredible debut thriller! This is a fast paced novel about a new mother struggling not only with post partum depression but also with memory loss. My attention was grabbed from the start and I flew through this one so I could know how it would end.

I can’t believe this is a debut, it is out March 5 and you need it on your list.

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Rising Action Publishing for the ARC to review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read. I found this quite good. This had fairly short chapters that made it easy to ready and kept me wanting to read more because of that. The book was full of twists and and it was just very crazy.

gosh was this book a good book! never though her sister could be crueler than her mother. i could feel her confusion and pain, baby brain is real, sleep deprivation is a killer. its a mothers love that gets us through. so we written